What is Freedom?

What is Freedom?

What does it mean to be free? Some say that freedom is being able to do anything with no limits. I do not subscribe to that definition because, if followed consistently, it is a sure way to lose your freedom. Think about it. “No limits” means that a person could steal, lie, commit adultery, murder, and numerous other evil things that limit the exercise of freedom. Consider this illustration. You are the captain of a beautiful ocean-going vessel, and you may sail it wherever you please. You have chart and compass to help you navigate and avoid the rocks. You could ignore them, sail your boat into the rocks, and destroy it, but that would practically eliminate your freedom. Alternatively, you could use the chart and compass to avoid the rocks and go most any place you desire on the ocean. Who is more free? The person who destroyed his boat in the name of “freedom,” or the person who followed the chart and compass?freedom boat

In this illustration, your body is the “boat,” and your spirit is the “captain.” The Bible is the chart and compass and the rocks are the consequences of sin. You may wreck your life by ignoring the Bible and sailing among the rocks of sin, or by listening to the Bible you may avoid the rocks of sin and have a truly free life. Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). Paul wrote, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13). If you want real freedom, hear and obey the word of God.

Posted in Kevin Cauley | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on What is Freedom?

Wrong Conclusions

Wrong Conclusions

I have been amazed over the years at how simple God has made eternal truths to every man who deeply longs to find the meaning of all that God has said. One of the major problems is that we come to the Bible with preconceived ideas and wrong conclusions which have come from those who have used pamphlets, books, radio, television, campaigns and lectures. So, when we read the Bible, these preconceived ideas block our ability to just let God teach us. Whenever we read the Bible, we must make a distinct difference between the thoughts we bring into the Bible and the thoughts which come forth from the divine words given by the Holy Spirit.Wrong Conclusions

A vivid illustration of this is in the application of Jesus’ discussion of “…wars, rumors of wars…nations shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes…” Individuals have read these words almost since He said them, and then they apply these words to whatever has just happened or whatever looms on the horizon. In my lifetime these words have been applied to WWII, Berlin blockade, the Cold War and threat of Russia, the Korean War, Vietnam, Cuban crisis, the Six Day War, ongoing conflict between Israel and the Arab nations, the invasion of Iraq, rise of the military power of China, the conflict in Afghanistan—the list seems endless. How on earth could one ever know when the words of Jesus actually had application? How often have you heard others mention the words of Jesus and then say, “The end is at hand”?

Are you aware that if one hears all the words of Jesus and puts them in the context where they were spoken, any person who can read can see how many teachers have led so many astray? One question, when we let God lead us to truth, can enable the most uneducated among us to find the truth and see just how simple the truth of these wars, earthquakes, etc. really is.

That question is, “Who did Jesus say would hear of these wars?” Forget what you have heard others say and let Jesus tell you. It is very simple to answer. Read what Mark reveals to us. There were only four people who heard Jesus speak these words and they were: Peter, James, John and Andrew (Mark 13:3). Now answer the question posed above. Who did Jesus say would hear of these wars and disasters? The KJV uses a two-letter word (“ye”) and a three-letter word (“you”). These words have nothing to do with any war beyond the life of these four apostles! These four men were the ones who were told they would hear of the wars. The plain truth is you cannot believe what you have heard others say. Listen to Jesus and it will change how you read all He said in this chapter.

Posted in Dan Jenkins | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Wrong Conclusions

Should We Prevent Suffering?

Should We Prevent Suffering?

Our culture is driven by an unhealthy desire to prevent all negative consequences. Someone might object and say, “What’s so wrong with that?” It’s a good question. Many people buy into the notion that all suffering is morally evil. Is it? What about the athlete who trains and suffers so that he/she may compete? Is that morally wrong? What about an overweight person who diets, enduring gnawing hunger pains because he/she knows it is good for his/her health? Is that morally wrong? What about a person who works long hours with great exertion under difficult conditions so he may take a month’s long vacation in Hawaii? Is that morally wrong? These cases show that suffering is not morally evil in and of itself; it depends upon the purpose of the suffering.suffering

Now, consider this notion. What if most suffering really embodied such good purposes? That is, it contained within it a dignifying and benefic effect. Would we look at it as evil? Or would we view it as we do the suffering athlete, the hungry dieter, and the hard-working vacationer? This is the heart of what the gospel teaches about suffering. Consider Paul’s words in Romans 5:3-5: “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” God permits suffering to improve us, if we let him. If we don’t, however, it follows that suffering degenerates. So, what does this say about having faith in God? “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Posted in Kevin Cauley | Tagged , | Comments Off on Should We Prevent Suffering?

Don’t Touch My Bride

Don’t Touch My Bride

Imagine that moment in a wedding when the doors in the back of the wedding chapel open and the bride appears. The song chosen especially for this moment begins to play and the mother of the bride stands. When she does, the audience stands and turns to see the bride. She has never been more radiant, and who could ever forget this moment?bride

As she begins to take her steps to be joined in holy matrimony, someone steps forward and begins changing her hairstyle. This changes her appearance and neither the bride nor groom likes her new look. Another person comes and changes her jewelry by removing her beautiful earrings and necklace and replacing them with those of far less beauty and value. It does not end there. To the dismay of all present, others change her makeup, her shoes and even the veil.

Your first reaction as you read this account would be that such could never happen. Who could have such disrespect to a bride and groom? Who could ever presume that they were so important that they could ignore what was planned? But, it actually has happened!

God has revealed to us that the church is the bride of Jesus. Paul said to the Corinthians, “I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2). When he wrote to Ephesus, he had spoken about the respect a wife should have for her husband and the sacrificial love the husband must have toward his wife. However, when he got to the end of this discussion he said, “This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:32). The church is truly the bride of Jesus.

Now consider this. Before the world began, the beautiful bride of Jesus was known. God worked for thousands of years to prepare for that time when the doors of heaven would be opened and the bride would appear. Then, the bride came.

God’s plan was for the bride to retain her eternal beauty. All authority in heaven and on earth is His and that leaves no room for any mortal to change the adornment of the bride (Matt. 28:18; Gal. 1:6-9). There was no provision for any mortal to change in any way the beauty of His bride. Even angels could not change it.

The denominational nature of modern Christendom is overwhelming evidence that mankind presumptuously altered the bride of Jesus after she was revealed. Every person should soberly consider if they have in their religious life followed those who alter His bride. God help every person in every denomination to think about this and return to His plan for His beautiful bride.

Posted in Dan Jenkins | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Don’t Touch My Bride

Football and The Church

Football and The Church

When I was a young boy, we played football. We played in the front and back yards, in the streets, in the parking lot, and in the parks. We took footballs everywhere we went because we loved the game. My kids never did that, and so, they do not have the same love for the game that I do. What changed? They spent their time on other things: video games, cable television, and the Internet. They do not know football because they did not play football. They did not play football because they spent their time on other things.football

The same could be said of any activity in which we engage. The time we spend in it significantly increasing our appreciation of it and our love for it, but it does not answer the question: On what activities will I choose to spend my time? That question must be answered by the values we set for ourselves and for our families. If I have no values, then the world will impose its values on me, and I will spend my time with the world and love the world. But we are admonished, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). That means I must adopt godly values for my family. Once that is done, then I must spend time pursuing those values.

Where is God in your list of values? Where is the church? Where is the Bible? Where is your relationship with Jesus Christ? We must spend time pursuing these things. If we do not, then our appreciation and love of them will diminish and eventually disappear.

Posted in Kevin Cauley | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Football and The Church